A portrait of one of the most fascinating and complex figures of our time, Bhutto is
the epic tale of the life and tragic death of Benazir Bhutto, who broke
the Islamic glass ceiling as the first woman leader of a Muslim country. Beloved
by the people of her native Pakistan, she was reviled by the nation's military
establishment and male-dominated ruling class. More than two years
after her death from a suicide bomber, Benazir remains a divisive figure,
a symbolic metaphor for the fight between terrorism and moderation. That
struggle continues today in Pakistan, the world's most strategically important
country and the Muslim world's sole nuclear power. Directed by Duane
Baughman and Johnny O'Hara, Bhutto airs on Independent
Lens Tuesday, May 10, 2011 at 10 p.m. on Eight, Arizona PBS.

Born on June 21, 1953, into a wealthy landowning family which later became
Pakistan's dominant political dynasty, Benazir Bhutto lived a life of Shakespearean
proportions. Her family, often referred to as the “Kennedys of Pakistan,”
had a painful legacy of triumph and tragedy played out on an international
stage. Zulifikar Ali Bhutto, her father and the first democratically elected
president of Pakistan, was executed by his own handpicked Army chief. Her
two beloved brothers died mysteriously at the hands of others: Shanahwaz
was poisoned in France and Murtaza was gunned down in a shootout on a Pakistani
street. Both murders remain unsolved.

Educated at Harvard and Oxford, Benazir made history as the first woman
leader of a Muslim country, yet she was wed in a traditional arranged marriage
to then-Karachi playboy Asif Ali Zardari. With an eye on a foreign
service career, Benazir's life changed forever when her father chose her
to carry his political mantle, over the family's eldest son. In the
late 1970s, when Zulifikar Ali Bhutto was overthrown and hanged in a “judicial
assassination,” Benazir swore to avenge her father and restore democracy
— or die trying.

Director/producer Duane Baughman points out how Benazir's relationship
with her father — and his subsequent execution — transformed her. “At
that point she was an unstoppable force. Her life's purpose became
avenging her father's dream for the people of Pakistan and that started
and ended with democracy,” said Baughman. “The fact that she was
a young woman in the Muslim world staring down the same dictator who hanged
her father only makes the story that much more riveting.”

Benazir's first election victory came under the banner of her martyred
father's popular Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in 1988. From her first moment
in office as prime minister, Benazir's life and reign of power were marked
by contradictions and questions. She wrestled with a male-dominated
society and an entrenched military establishment, a struggle that continued
throughout her life. Her first government was removed in a military-backed
coup in 1990. She rose again in 1993 but was toppled by the power
elite in 1996. She entered an eight-year, self-imposed exile in London,
New York, and Dubai.

In 2007, with Pakistan roiling in turmoil and under the thumb of yet another
military dictator, Benazir was called back as the country's best hope for
democracy. The very night of her triumphant return, a double-suicide
bombing assassination attempt killed 170 of her supporters. “We
will continue to meet the public,” she said defiantly, after narrowly escaping
harm. “We will not be deterred.”

Benazir Bhutto was assassinated on December 27, 2007. She transcended
politics, but left a legacy of simmering controversy and undeniable courage
that will be debated for years to come.

About Eight, Arizona PBS

Eight, Arizona PBS specializes in the education of children, in-depth news and public affairs, lifelong learning, and the celebration of arts and culture -- utilizing the power of noncommercial television, the Internet, educational outreach services, and community-based initiatives. The PBS station began broadcasting from the campus of Arizona State University on January 30, 1961. Now more than 80 percent of Arizonans receive the signal through a network of translators, cable and satellite systems. With more than 1 million viewers each week, Eight consistently ranks among the most-viewed public television stations per capita in the country. Arizonans provide more than 60 percent of the station's annual budget.